ViewSonic VA1655 15.6" Black

This thing is absurdly portable, hitting the 99th percentile for compactness at just 700 grams. But the color accuracy is dead last in our database, the 60Hz panel won't win any performance awards, and user sentiment has slid to 48 out of 100. It's a travel-friendly second screen for basic office work, and not much else.

Let's be real about what this monitor is built for. The 60Hz panel and 7ms response time put it in the 8th percentile for performance, which is frankly disappointing if you're hoping to sneak in some gaming after hours. But for a second screen dedicated to email, documents, or a static reference panel, it's perfectly adequate. The IPS panel gives you solid 170° viewing angles, so a colleague can glance at your work without colors shifting wildly. Just don't expect deep blacks or HDR magic. The color reproduction sits at the very bottom of our charts, in the 1st percentile. This is a 6-bit+FRC panel, not a true 8-bit one, and it shows in any work involving gradients or color accuracy.

Stacked against something like the LG UltraGear 45GX950A-B or the ASUS ROG Strix XG27UCDMG, the VA1655 isn't even playing the same sport. Those are desktop-bound gaming and productivity beasts with high refresh rates and proper color coverage. The ViewSonic's real competition is other portable 15.6-inch panels, and here it holds its own on weight and build. The Samsung Odyssey G60SD and Alienware AW3425DW are bigger, brighter, and faster, but they won't slip into your backpack. If portability is your top priority, the VA1655's 99th percentile compactness makes it a standout. If you care about literally any other metric, look at nearly any other monitor in our database.

Pricing on this monitor is all over the map, with a spread of over $26,000 across vendors. Obviously, ignore the absurd outliers. At the realistic end around $100, this is a solid value for a no-frills second screen that lives in your laptop bag. You're paying for the lightweight build and USB-C convenience, not image quality. If you can snag it near the low end of that range, it's a fair deal for road warriors who just need more screen real estate.

The ViewSonic VA1655 is a travel-first portable monitor that absolutely nails portability, landing in the 99th percentile for compactness in our database. At just 700 grams and under an inch thick, it's one of the lightest 15.6-inch screens we've tracked. The Full HD IPS panel gets the job done for spreadsheets and Slack on the go, but the 250-nit brightness and 60Hz refresh rate mean this isn't the screen you want for color work or gaming.

Anyone who cares about color accuracy or gaming performance should look elsewhere. The VA1655 sits in the 1st percentile for color and the 8th percentile for overall performance in our database. If you're a photographer, video editor, or someone who wants to game on the go, this monitor will frustrate you. Even for office work, the 250-nit brightness can be a struggle in well-lit rooms. User sentiment has dropped to 48 out of 100, so current owners are clearly hitting real frustrations with the two-cord requirement and dim panel. You're buying portability and nothing else here.

The ViewSonic VA1655 is a one-trick pony, but it's a really good trick. It's one of the most portable monitors we've ever seen, and for travelers who just need a second screen for email and documents, it's a practical buy. Just know what you're signing up for. The color and performance numbers are among the worst in our database, so creative pros and gamers should steer clear. User sentiment has dropped to 48 out of 100, which tells you owners are getting more frustrated with the two-cord setup and dim panel over time. At a realistic street price around $100, it's a reasonable investment in mobile productivity, provided you can live with the occasionally frustrating port layout.